Kodi's Big Mistake
by Balto678
Summary: Kodi who has been busy with mail runs suddenly finds himself in love with who he used to think of just a friend. Within a week and a half kodi makes one of the biggest mistakes in his life. One that proves to be near fatal.


NOTE: This fiction is neither a sequel or a prequel to the Balto movies.

Kodi's Big Mistake

By Donovan Bailey (balto678)

**Prologue**

**An eagle soared threw the sky high above the ground. The eagle flapped its wings as it flew back to its nest. Once the brown and white eagle spotted the nest it started its descent. Landing in the nest. The eagle then spotted a dog on the ground. She screeched and the dog glanced up at her. The dog was rust red and creamy white colored. The dog also appeared to be male. He only watched the eagle for a moment before he heard another dog approaching. Looking back down from the eagle and ahead of him he saw a cream white and purpleish female approaching him.**

**"Kodi" the female said when she had reached him.**

**"Dusty" Kodi said smiling "so you said you wanted to meet me here, right?" **

**"yea i wanted to see you again. Alone i mean" Dusty said**

**Kodi sat down and said "I've missed you too"**

**"ever since i got taken off the mail team ive been wanting to see you kodi" Dusty said**

**"you know dusty the mail team isnt the same without you" Kodi said which made dusty smile "and ive been wanting to see you too" Kodi continued hoping dusty felt the same way about him as he felt about her.**

**"Kodi, while you were gone on that mail run i kept wondering if you and i could well . . ."**

**Kodi's ears perked up once dusty said this.**

**"something more than just friends" dusty said as she glanced toward kodi to see his reaction.**

**What kodi did next surprised both of them.**

**Kodi stepped forward and and nuzzled dusty.**

**Dusty froze as kodi did this. She couldn't believe what kodi had just done. Then she smiled at kodi and pressed her nose against Kodi's.**

**This brought a smile across Kodi's face and his ears perked up as he heard the sound of chuckling.**

**Recognizing the chuckles kodi growled lowly and looked around for the sources of the sounds. Ralph, and Kirby**

**"Ralph! Kirby!" Dusty exclaimed as the two climbed out from behind a bush that covered a ditch.**

**"Kodi and Dusty sittin" They started but Kodi knew the two too well and saw this coming and pounced on them before they could sing any more.**

**"Hay lighten up Kodi. How many times have you spied on me?" Kirby asked and kodi climbed off the two. **

**"Fine but even when i spied on you Kirby it wasnt when you were doing something private" Kodi said**

**"well as far as im concerned we're even" Kirby said snickering.**

**"Kodi and Dusty sitting in a tree" The two broke out singing again. Kodi growled lowly again and said "forget it. I'll see you guys tomorrow" and started to walk off but Dusty followed him. Smiling Kodi continued with Dusty.**

**"do yall have another mail run tomorrow?" Dusty asked**

**"yea. All week" Kodi said. This is acctually the only break me, Ralph, Kirby and the rest of the team will get until around next week"**

**Dusty frowned.**

**"Well still be back in nome every night but this is a busy week" Kodi said noticing dusty's frown**

**"well ok" Dusty replied finally after a moment's silence**

**1**

**Kodi was running towards a light in the distance. As he got closer he could see a dog. It was a Malamut and as he got closer he realized it was a female. The malamut was stunning green and white. Kodi kept running toward her but then suddenly everything went black and he felt as if he was falling. He opened his mouth to yell then he woke with a start.**

**He was panting and he could feel his heart beating in his chest. Looking around he saw the rest of the team was showing signs of waking. Kodi stood up and stretched then walked outside. He then started wondering about the dream he had just had. **

**The dog in the dream was extremely good looking but he knew she couldn't be real. Besides it was just a dream. Everyone know dreams weren't real. So Kodi started back inside where he saw everyone was still asleep. Kodi then sat down and waited for them to wake up. He was no longer tired. **

**Once everyone was up and ready the musher started strapping them into their straps. While they were waiting to start Kirby turned to Kodi and said "You were growling in you sleep last night. were you having a bad dream or were you mad at something.?"**

**"Bad dream i guess. since I wasn't mad at anything or anyone" Kodi said wondering what part of his dream could have made him growl.**

**"remember what the dream was about?" Kirby asked**

**"yea but id rather not talk about it." Kodi said.**

**Just then the musher left the sled and returned with another dog. A navy blue and dark red dog. The musher strapped the new dog into the straps behind kodi. Kodi then turned around towards the new dog.**

**"Hay" Kodi said**

**"Hi, im Sasha" The new dog said.**

**"Well i hope your up for a long run. We're running all week" Kodi replied**

**"don't worry about me ive got lots of practice in. Im ready" Sasha said standing straight and tall.**

**" You do have confidence and that's an important thing to have for success" Kodi said smiling. **

**They had to stop their conversation there as they started running.**

**There path was the usual one that they did at least 3 times a week. The path was pretty flat. At least flat compared to the the steep hill they came across as they continued further away from Nome. As they started up the hill kodi heard the other dogs start panting. Everyone except Sasha and himself. Kodi made it halfway up the hill before his legs started to tire. Pushing himself further kodi kicked his legs harder and finally his paws found level ground. His breathing was harder after words but he noticed that Sasha was still going as if they had just started.**

**_I guess she did get alot of practice_ Kodi thought.**

**Panting slightly Kodi along with the rest of the sled team ran into nome as they had finished their mail run. The musher came over to the dogs and took the straps off them. Kodi along with Kirby, and Ralph walked over to the boiler room where they sat down for a rest.**

**"Did anyone notice that Sasha dog never started panting?" Kodi asked laying down.**

**"yea. She's got to have done some serious running. That was a long trip and with that steep hill. I almost slipped on it on the way up" Ralph said, his eyes drooping.**

**" You say that everytime we go up a hill like that ralph" Kirby said chuckling.**

**"that's the first time we went up one that steep" Ralph replied**

**"i still stand by my last comment" Kirby said then dozed off.**

**Kodi grinned then yawned. He then heard ralph doze off as well. Kodi was about to copy them when the door opened.**

**"hay Kodi"**

**Kodi sat up and looked at the new commer. Half way threw a yawn kodi saw it was Dusty.**

**"Hay Dusty. What have you been up to?" He asked**

**"Nothing. What else is there to do around here?" Dusty asked with a chuckle.**

**Kodi grinned then stood up, yawning again.**

**"Tired?" Dusty asked grinning**

**Kodi nodded. His eyes began to droop. "Dusty im gunna get some sleep so lets continue this conversation tomorrow when we get back" **

**Dusty nodded then nuzzled kodi and left. Kodi then layed down and fell asleep.**

**2**

**"Kodi wake up!" Kodi jumped looking around **

**"What?" Kodi asked as soon as he saw Ralph and Kirby**

**"time to go" Kirby said **

**Kodi got up, stretched and yawned, then walked outside with the others. The musher was just up the street and was already putting the dogs in the straps. Kodi got into his spot once he reached the sled and waited while the musher put his straps on.**

**"just get up?"**

**Kodi looked behind him and saw Sasha smiling at him. **

**"yea. How could you tell?" Kodi asked**

**"well the other day you were alot more energetic. Today you seem a bit tired" **

**"well ive got enough energy to run. Don't worry" Kodi said then smiled slightly**

**Sasha nodded and turned to talk to the dog behind her. While kodi waited to get started he joined in with Ralph and Kirby's conversation. They were talking about Praking someone.**

**"who you praking this time?" Kodi asked**

**"you'll find out in the morning" Kirby Chuckled.**

**Kodi was about to ask again when the musher whistled, which was the signal to start. **

**Through out most of the day Kodi and the other dogs ran the mail to towns including: Teller, Taylor, White Mountain, Shishmaref, Unalakleet, and Selawik.**

**When they got back to Nome kodi's legs could barly hold him up. Kirby and Ralph were just as tired. Once they had all laid down inside the warm room of the boiler room kodi noticed one thing that was so odd it was almost scary. Sasha wasn't even Panting, All the other dogs were breathing as if they had never breathed before. Another Thing kodi noticed was that, while everyone elses fur glistened with sweat, She looked as if she hadn't even broken a sweat. **

**Kodi watched sasha walk around the rest of them and lay down in a far corner. **

**Kodi was wrapped in his thoughts about Sasha and her apparent immunity ot fatigue for the rest of the night. At least , that is, the rest of the night in which he was awake.**

**3**

**When Kodi woke the next morning and looked around he saw that he was the only one awake. But he then noticed Sasha wasn't in the room.**

**Kodi stood up, which was a bit harder thatn usual after the long run yesterday, and walked outside. By where the sun was kodi figured he had about 30 minutes before they'd have to run the mail.**

**Strolling down to the beach to da a little warm-up running kodi found where sasha was.**

**As he walked around the boat that his dad used to sleep on he saw sasha running on the beach. Kodi hed in the shadows cast on the ground by the boat and watched sasha do several stretches, then start running again. Only when she stopped running did kodi come out of the shadow and walk toward her.**

**"hay" Kodi said as he neared her.**

**She turned aroung and smiled when she saw him.**

**"hay, i didn't think you'd be up yet" sasha said**

**How long have you ben awake?" Kodi asked**

**"almost an hour" Sasha replied "you?"**

**"only a few minutes"**

**"oh, i suppose you were tired from yesterday" sasha said**

**"and you weren't?" Kodi asked**

**"a little i guess" Sasha said**

**"your joking right?" Kodi asked**

**"No"**

**"How do you run for so long yet you never seem to tire or even start breathing hard?" Kodi asked hoping he didn't sound rude.**

**"It's a breathing thing. If yoou can get your breathing right you can run all day and never get tired" Sasha said.**

**Just then kodi heard the musher calling for them and they had to go.**

**"Hay sometime this weekend you wanna race? See who's faster?" Sasha asked catching up with.**

**"ummm, sure i guess" Kodi said doubting that they had to race to see who was a better running. Even as they slowed their pace down sasha passed kodi and kodi stopped. For some reason he had never noticed this about Sasha. **

**On Sasha's back neck kodi saw a large Z just like his brother Kalgorn's mark. . .**

**4**

**"Sasha" Kodi said Catching up with her**

**"yea?" Sasha asked**

**"that mark on you neck. . ."**

**"what about it?" **

**"well my brother has the same mark except it's on his back" Kodi explained.**

**"Really?" She asked sounding interested**

**"yea his name is Kalgorn"**

**"Really? id like to meet him" Sasha said **

**"well he lives here with another dog named Misty." Kodi replied getting in his postition on the team.**

**"so this isn't a joke? i always thought my mark was something only i had" Sasha said**

**"kalgorn ill probably say the same thing once he finds out about you" Kodi grinned.**

**Sasha chuckled slightly **

**They were quite while the musher put the straps on them then not long after they started.**

**This mail run wasn't as long as the rest of the week was. It was only 3 towns the last being a load back to Nome.**

**Once the musher took the straps off the team Kodi went over to his brother, Kalgorn's, and barked once.**

**Kalgorn, looking slightly older than the last time Kodi had seen him and his once dark brown fur now seemed a bit faded and slightly tannish, appeared from behind the house.**

**"Kodi" Kalgorn said**

**"Hay Kalgorn, long time no see" Kodi said grinning**

**"Hay, look im sorta busy right now" Kalgorn replied**

**"oh is this a bad time?" Kodi asked**

**Kalgorn looked behind him then turned back.**

**"Just hold on a minute" Kalgorn said then ran back out of sight. **

**After a few minutes Kodi heard the voice of Misty say "come on togan." then Kalgorn came back around.**

**"ok what's up?" Kalgorn asked sitting down. **

**"Ok, a few days ago a new dog joined the sled team. Her name is Sasha and. . ." Kodi started but Kalgorn interrupted.**

**"Kodi if you need girl advise then you should ask Misty. Im not such an expert on them either"**

**"what? Oh, no im not talking about that. You didn't let me finish. Earlier today i saw that on her neck, she has the same mark as you have on you back." Kodi explained**

**Kalgorn opened his mouth to saw something but Misty called for him just then.**

**"Come back tomorrow kodi and bring her with you" Kalgorn said then ran back around the house.**

**5**

**Kodi, walking home slowly, heard several barks then something hit kodi from behind and he fell to the ground.**

**Something held kodi down when he tried to get up.**

**"Hay Kodi"**

**It was Dusty**

**"Hay dusty! I haven't seen you in awhile" Kodi said**

**Dusty let kodi back up and nuzzled him.**

**"Ive missed you too" Kodi said**

**"I didn't exect to see you yet. I was just walking down that alley over there when i heard someone else so i looked and saw you. Anyway what are yall doing here so early? yall are usually gon almost all day"**

**"There wasan't alot of mail today"  
"Well what are you up too?" Dusty then asked**

**"I just went and talked with Kalgorn" Kodi replied**

**"any perticular reason?" Dusty asked**

**"yea, there's a new dog on the team and she has the same mark on her neck that kalgorn has on his back" Kodi replied**

**"Really? What's her name?"**

**"Sasha"**

**"Looks like you've got competition for lead dog" Dusty chuckled.**

**Kodi grunted..**

**He hadn't thought about sasha taking lead dog. He had been curious about how she managed to never get tired and completely forgot.**

**Dusty and Kodi were on top of the mountain that Kalgorn had spent so many hours on. It was just Him and Dusty. **

**"i can see why your brother liked it up here so much" Dusty said laying down**

**"I know. Its peaceful" Kodi said laying down next to dusty.**

**Somehow kodi had never came up here. He'd come up here a few times to fetch his brother when it was getting dark but that was about it. **

**6**

**Yawning and half asleep kodi walked into the boiler room. He had stayed on the mountain with Dusty well into the night and when dusty said she had to get back to her house he decided to go home and sleep as well. **

**When kodi walked in he heard two dogs jump. Looking up kodi saw two town dogs. One female and one male. Kodi had seen the female several times flirting with dogs. Every time kodi saw her she was with another dog. Once when kodi had returned from running the mail the dog had started trying to flirt with him. Kodi had ignored her and ran off. The male he'd never seen before. **

**"Whats going on?" Kodi asked in dozzy voice**

**"Nothing, we better get home" the female said**

**"another one night stand?" Kodi asked. **

**The female looked back at and growled at him.**

**"come on Jenny, he's not worth it" the male said**

**The female, jenny gave kodi a final evil look and walked away.**

**Kodi chuckled a little then curled up in front of the heater and fell asleep almost instently.**

**Kodi was again running. The light was clear ahead of him. He was kicking his legs as fast as he could. Again kodi could see the green and white malamute. He expected to start falling againg but it didn't come. He kept going. Eager to get to the malamute kodi pushed himself harder. He was almost there. Suddenly the malamute disappeared and everything went black. Kodi never felt like he was falling but looking down he saw the ground fall out from under him. He was so sure he was going to fall he jumped. **

**kodi's paws didn't touch the ground because just as he jumped he heard a voice yelling his name.**

**"KODI WAKE UP!" **

**Suddenly kodi was soaked from nose to paws. **

**"What!" kodi asked jumping up. Breathing hard as if he had been running at a full sprint. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest.**

**"what? we have to go that's wut" Ralph said in a slightly annoyed tone. **

**Kodi groaned. His legs were still tired.**

**"Ok" Kodi said after a few seconds. Ill be out in a minute" **

**The rest of the dogs walked out but kodi stayed in. Shivering from the cold water. Despite how warm it was in the room. Kodi stood up and shook the water from his fur then walked over to he heater and let his fur dry off.**

**Less than fife minutes later kodi jogged over to the sled team.**

**"I was wondering if you'd gone back to sleep" Sasha said with a slight chuckle.**

**"ease up a lil. Im not such a morning person" Kodi said slightly annoyed.**

**The musher put the straps on kodi in the swing position and then scratched him behind the ears and walked back to the sled and gave the signal to start. **

**Kodi stood in the snow as the wind blew harder and harder threatning to push him off his paws. He was having trouble staying on his paws. **

**He also was very cold. He couldn't even feel his paws or nose anymore. Someone could have cut his tail off and wouldn't have even noticed it. His tail had gone numb long ago.**

**Kodi was wondering just how far it was from teller to nome when the musher came and said "were staying here tonight boys. This weather is too dangerous to be out in" and led them to a small wooden house. The first thing the musher did was light a flame in the fireplace and then cooked the meat he had on the sled and gave it to the dogs. **

**Kodi didn't have much of an apatite. He wasn't scared either. This kinda thing happened alot. The first time it had happened kodi had been unable to stand still. His legs had been shivering (though that could have also been from the cold)**

**This time kodi just wanted to get some sleep so he wouldn't have to be woken up by a bucket of ice-cold water. So kodi curled up next to the musher who was sitting in front of the fireplace warming his hands and rested. The musher scratched kodi behind the ears again and kodi soon fell asleep.**

**7**

**When kodi woke up he was the only one awake apart from Sasha. Sasha was sitting up in a far corner. She seemed to be uncomfortable. As he watched she stood up and walked in a circle a few times then sat back down. Slightly amused kodi grinned then stood up and walked over to her. Streatching and yawning as he walked.**

**"Kodi" Sasha said surprised**

**"i know, im up. Its a miracle" Kodi chuckled**

**"weren't you just saying yesterday you weren't a morning person?" Sasha asked smiling**

**"well im not really. . . . . I get . . . . cranky when i don't get enough sleep" Kodi finally said.**

**"well that would explain why you are so rude in the mornings" Sasha said with a grin.**

**"Sorry" Kodi said**

**"no problem. I get really hyper if i eat to much" **

**Kodi laughed at this.**

**There was the sound of movement from behind kodi and he stopped laughing and looked around. Ralph had rolled over in his sleep. There was a grin on his face.**

**When kodi looked back around Sasha was Streatching her legs.**

**"Sasha remember what i told you about my brother, Kalgorn?"**

**"yea, i'd still like to meet him" Sasha nodded**

**"well i talked to him the other day and he seemed interested in meeting you too. He even told me next time i see him to bring you with me" Kodi went on**

**"great. Lets go as soon as we get back to Nome" Sasha said excitedly**

**"If he's not busy, sure" Kodi replied**

**"what would he be busy with?" Sasha asked **

**"well he's got a son. His name is Togan" Kodi explained.**

**Sasha grinned a little. "How old is he?" **

**"Im not sure. I think he's about 8 or 9 months" Kodi said guessing Togan's age**

**"Their so cute at that age" Sasha said chuckling**

**"Togan's a handfull from how much ive seen him" Kodi laughed**

**By now the rest of the team were showing signs of waking so Kodi decided to walk out side and see what it looked like. Kodi walked up to the door and stood up on his hind legs, resting his paws on the door and biting the doorknob then turning it until the door started to move outward. As soon as the door was open kodi stepped out. **

**All Kodi could see was whiteness. Everywhere he looked, looked the same. Tacking a few steps out he felt a chilling breeze. **

**"least its not as cold as it was last night" Kodi commented. Suddenly Sasha appeared at his side.**

**"impressive trick" Sasha complimented.**

**"it's not so hard. My dad has shown me a few tricks to open doors"**

**"your dad would be Balto right" Sasha asked**

**"yep" Kodi said grinning. **

**Kodi started to walk further out but after only a few steps he fell completely through the snow. Sasha ran out to him. "Kodi!" **

**8**

**"im ok. Its just deep snow" Kodi said then tried to figure out how to get out of the deep hole he'd just fallen in.**

**Kodi tried to take a few steps and the snow collapesed on top of him. Sasha fell down too.**

**"glad you could join the party" Kodi chuckled and shook the snow off his face. **

**feeling bare ground underneath his paws kodi saw that they were on the side of a steep hill and he concluded that they could just walk up the hill and out of the snow. Taking a few steps kodi caused even more snow to fall ontop of him but most of it fell on Sasha.**

**"Kodi!" Sasha exclaimed. "What are you doing?"**

**"we're on a hill. We can walk up the hill and out of this hole" Kodi explained. **

**Kodi started to take more steps but sasha said "Hang on kodi. Let me get beside you so im not burried"**

**So kodi waited while Sasha struggled up the hill, slipping on the soft snow every now and then.**

**After a few minutes she was at his side and they started forward. It wasn't long before sasha was knocked backward and rolled down the hill.**

**Kodi ran back down to her and helped her climb back up.**

**since sasha seemed to have more troubled moving out of the snow than kodi did, he walked behind her and pushed her from behind.**

**Finally they were out of the snow but they were both soaking wet and the cold wind blowing didn't help either.**

**"this really helped us didn't it?" sasha said sarcastically and shook her fur dry, spraying kodi.**

**"Hay" Kodi said "watch it"**

**"sorry" Sasha said looking back at kodi.**

**Kodi mimicked sasha and followed her back insid the wooden house and sat down at the fire next to each other.**

**1 hour later kodi and sasha along with the rest of the team were running back to nome. Kodi noticed how the musher had taken a lil longer to put the straps around him and sasha. Almost as if he was thinking about switching them.**

**This caused kodi to give it his all that morning. Everytime his hind legs touched the snow he jumped further. It wasn't but a few minutes before he was dragging ralph and kirby. Though Sasha stayed right with kodi. Mimicking his runing.**

**9**

**"Kodi"**

**"huh?"**

**"What was that all about?"**

**"what?"**

**Kodi and the rest of the team were back in nome and the straps had just been taken off them. Kodi and Sasha were waking towards Kalgorns.**

**"the running. You don't normally run like that. I had to run alot faster to stay with you" Sasha pointed out.**

**Kodi sighed then looked around at her. "ok ive been on the sled team for a little under a year now and ive been trying to get to lead dog postition the hole time but Kirby has always been ahead of me. And earlier today the musher seemed like he was thinking about switching me and you and i know once he does that i may never get to lead dog" Kodi confessed**

**"Is that it?" Sasha asked chuckling**

**"yea?" Kodi said confused**

**"it's nothing, don't worry about being replaced by me. Ive never really cared to be lead dog anyway" Sasha said **

**Kodi didn't push her on the subject but instead he challanged her to a race to kalgorns. After telling her where kalgorn lived they started.**

**Kodi and Sasha were side by side for the first few seconds but soon sasha started to get ahead of kodi so kodi pushed himself harder. Now kodi was ahead of sasha. They were almost at Kalgorns when sasha started to pass him again so kodi resumed his style of running he had done earlier that day and started to pass sasha fast. By the time they got to kalgorn's even kodi's tail was ahead of sasha.**

**"you let me win that didn't you?" Kodi asked sasha when they both had come to a stop.**

**Sasha grinned innocently.**

**Kodi shook his head. "alright when we leave im racing you to the boat just by the beach and this time i want you to give it everything you've got. Don't hold back just so i'll fell better"**

**"if you say so" Sasha chuckled**

**10**

**As kodi and sasha walked around to the back of kalgorns they heard loud high pitched barking.**

**"Togan" Kodi said to sasha.**

**They rounded the corner and saw a small brown pup crouched on the ground sneaking up from behind on kalgorn, who was busy talking with misty. As Kodi and Sasha watched togan stopped right behind his dad and pounced on his back. **

**Kalgorn jumped and yelled.**

**"Togan, please don't do that when daddy is talking to mommy" Kalgorn said.**

**Kodi chuckled but sasha had gasped.**

**"what?" Kodi asked then noticed Sasha was staring at Kalgorn's back. "oh yea. Told ya he had that same mark"**

**"It's like an exact replica of my mark" Sasha said**

**Kodi noticed that misty had spotted them. He was surprised she hadn't noticed them sooner. Sasha was red and blue and kodi was a dark rust red and tannish. Their surroundings were the wooden fence and the white snow.**

**"Kodi! good to see ya" Misty said smiling. Kalgorn looked around and saw Kodi.**

**"Hay kodi. I didn't expect you so soon. I see you've brought a friend"**

**"yea, this is Sasha. I told you about her" Kodi replied**

**"yes, Kodi tells me that me and you bear the same mark. He told me yours was on your neck." Kalgorn said walking up to sasha with a friendly smile.**

**"yea its on the _back_ of my neck" Sasha said turning around letting kalgorn and misty see.**

**"this is surprising" Kalgorn chuckled. "i never thought anyone else had this mark" **

**"Any idea what it could mean?" Misty asked**

**"nope. As far as i know its just a Z" Kalgorn said**

**"What are your parent's names?" Misty asked Sasha**

**"umm, im not sure of my dad since he was killed shortly after i was born but my mom was Kira" Sasha explained**

**The name sounded familiar to kodi.**

**"That name rings a sort of bell." Kalgorn said thinking**

**"same here" Kodi said.**

**"well i can't think of where but ive heard that name before" Kalgorn said **

**Suddenly Togan jumped onto Kodi's back. Kodi jumped and looked back. **

**"Togan get off Kodi" Misty said walking around sasha and picking togan up off kodi's back.**

**"awww, i never get to have any fun" Togan whined as Misty took him away and into the house.**

**Kodi heard sasha chuckle. **

**"Where are you from sasha?" Kalgorn asked**

**"Im from near this place called Ice Point Cliff. There was a town not far from it. I lived there.**

**Kodi gasped.**

**"what?"**

**"That name. I know it. Ice Point Cliff. Remember Kalgorn. Dad told us about how his parents and his _SISTER_. That's it. Kira, Sasha's mother, was dad's SISTER. and Ice Point Cliff, that's where dad used to live. His dad was stealing food from that butcher that lived in a town not far from where they lived." Kodi exclaimed.**

**Kalgorn stared at kodi.**

**"But. . ." Kalgorn started "i thought dad said Kira was killed along with his parents" **

**"Kira must have somehow survived" Kodi said. "im gunna go tell dad" **

**And with that Kodi took off running.**

**"Is it possible i might be some really distant relative of yours?" Sasha asked looking back to Kalgorn.**

**"i think its entirely possible" Kalgorn smiled**

**11**

**"Dad!" Kodi said running into his moms house.**

**It was empty. His mom was there but she was snoozing on the couch. Kodi crept out of the house so as not to wake her then thought where His dad could be. Finally kodi decided to try the Boat.**

**Sure enough when he got there he saw his dad sitting on the railing looking out into the distance.**

**"dad" Kodi said**

**Balto looked around and saw Kodi.**

**"Kodi, hay. What are you doing here?" Kodi asked climbing down off the rail.**

**"I just wanted to tell you something" Kodi said then went on "I think your sister wasn't killed by that hunter" **

**Balto looked at kodi curiously for a minute then asked "what do you mean?"**

**"you told me that your sister Kira was killed along with your parents" Kodi explained**

**"oh, yea. What makes you think she wasn't?" Balto asked curiously**

**"well Sasha, a friend of mine from the sled team has the same mark on her neck that Kalgorn has on his back and she told me and kalgorn that her mom was Kira" Kodi went on.**

**Balto interested said "where is sasha now?"**

**"She was with Kalgorn when i left" Kodi replied**

**"lets go see if she's still there" Balto said and jumped down off the boat and ran off in the direction of Kalgorns. Kodi not far behind.**

**"Sasha?" Kodi said walking around Kalgorns.**

**Kodi saw that Sasha and Kalgorn were still talking. **

**Sasha looked around at the sound of her name.**

**"Kodi, that was fast" Sasha said standing up. She walked over to balto and said "Ive heard alot about you" **

**"Really?" Balto chuckled**

**Kodi walked over to Kalgorn while balto and Sasha talked and asked kalgorn "so what happened while i was gone?"**

**"nothing. We were just talking about wheater she could be related to us. However distantly" Kalgorn replied.**

**After the exciting discovery of Sasha's mother being his dad's sister that day kodi had completely forgotten that they didn't have to run the mail the next day. As a result Kodi ended up going to sleep hours before anyone else.**

**When he woke up the next morning he noticed that he was the only one up. As kodi lay there gathering his thoughts he remembered that there was no mail to run that day. Slightly relieved kodi curled up and doozed back off to sleep.**

**Panting, running, The light. It was the same dream again. The malamut was so close. Kodi was almost there. He was running faster than he'd even thought was possible for him to run. Everything was a blut. But the malamut stayed in focus. As fast as he was running he didn't seem to be getting any closer to her. Then. . . He reached her. He slowed to a walk and tried to say hi but suddenly the malamut changed to a giant bear. The bear raised its razor sharp claws into the air and brought them down toward kodi. just before the claws cut kodi in half kodi awoke shivering.**

**"Kodi"**

**"im alright" Kodi said without opening his eyes. "just a bad dream"**

**But there was no response. Kodi opened his eyes. The room was completely empty. He was the only one in there. Getting to his paws kodi walked out side then he heard a voice to his right say "This way"**

**Curious kodi started down the path to his right. Picking up his pace kodi sped up to a jog.**

**12**

**"here" came the voice again and kodi turned in the direction it had come.**

**Then he saw her.**

**The stunning green and white malamute from his dreams. She was sitting on the porch of a new house that had just been built about a week ago.**

**Kodi stared in awe. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. As he watched her she looked around then noticed him. Kodi didn't know wheather he should pretend like he wasn't looking or go introduce himslef. It was her who came to him. Kodi watched her jump down off the porch and walk over to him. She had the cuttest smile on her face.**

**"Hi" she said. Her voice was even perfect.**

**"H-hi" kodi coughed. His throat had just gone very dry.**

**"Arn't you going to introduce yourself?" she asked smiling**

**Kodi coughed then said "ah yea, my name is Kodi. And you are. . .?"**

**"Asher. My name is asher. I just moved here today. Care to show me around?" Asher asked **

**"Sure!" Kodi said surprised.**

**"great" Asher said and started down the the street. **

**Kodi couldn't help but watch her for a minute before he got the feeling in his legs again and ran to catch up with her.**

**"so how long have you lived here?" Asher asked**

**"my whole life." Kodi replied**

**"you mean you've never seen anywhere else than this town?"**

**"of course not. Im the swing dog on the mail dog team" Kodi said chuckling **

**"swing dog?"**

**"er Second place. Meaning im right behind the lead dog" Kodi explained to her.**

**"sounds like fun" Asher said looking at the buildings as they walked.**

**Kodi then felt their sides brush against each other and he shivered. Enjoying the touch but then he took a step away from her.**

**_"YOUR WITH DUSTY"_ Kodi shouted at himself in his head**

**Asher seemed not to notice anything. She was looking at the buildings.**

**"So where did you move here from?" **

**"Anchorage. Im sure you've run the mail to their before" Asher said cheerfully.**

**"Ive been to every town in alaska at least once" Kodi said **

**Just then as they passed dusty's home kodi remembered he had ment to find dusty.**

**"Hay Asher i forgot i had something i ment to do today"**

**"oh, that's ok. Mind showing me back home? I don't know this place like you do" **

**"yea sure" Kodi said turning around.**

**"Kodi, where have you been?" Dusty asked as kodi walked into her house**

**"oh i just been er sleeping" **

**"sleeping? not surprising. Rough week huh?" **

**"not really, just exhausting" Kodi replied walking over to dusty who was laying on the couch infront of the fireplace.**

**"Kodi, this is gunna be a shock to you but my owners and me are going away for about a week" Dusty said climbing down off the couch.**

**"what? Where are you going?" Kodi askes surprised**

**"Its a place called Teller" Dusty replied smiling **

**"Oh. that sounds fun" Kodi said mimicking her smile**

**"We leave in the morning. Sorry this is kinda last-minute"**

**"No, its ok. I was just hoping to see you today" Kodi said **

**"well im totally free today" Dusty replied **

**"great" Kodi said walking back towards the door "Lets go"**

**Dusty smiled and walked out**

**13**

**"Kodi, this is the most time we've spent together in months"**

**"Really. Ever since you got taken off the sled team we've hardly seen each other"**

**Kodi and Dusty were out on his dad's boat.**

**Kodi was sitting on the spot he'd seen his dad the day before. Dusty was standing behind him.**

**As they sat on the boat talking kodi thought to himself _my dad may not have had much when he lived here but at least he had a quite place to be._**

**"I wish i could get back on the team. Ever since i. . . anyway" dusty said stopping her sentence short**

**"refresh me" Kodi said chuckling.**

**"your laughing" Dusty said giving kodi a nudge which caused kodi to lose his balance on the rail and fall off. Landing on his back in a pile of partially melted snow.**

**Kodi lay there watching dusty look down on him laughing.**

**"Look who's laughing now" Kodi said getting to his paws.**

**"alright get back up here" Dusty said and her face dissapeared back over the rail. **

**Once kodi was back on the boat dusty said "i don't see what's funny about me getting taken off the team"**

**"Its not you getting taken off the team that's funny, i just can't believe you did that though" Kodi said grinning**

**"if ralph and kirby hadn't been in my way it wouldn't have happened" Dusty said grinning slightly now**

**"Still. At least now they don't mess with you. At least not as much" Kodi chuckled**

**"well that's the one good thing about it" Dusty said with a chuckle**

**Kodi laughed as he thought back to the incident that had resulted in dusty's removal from the team.**

**The sled team had finished a mail run and the musher had just taken the straps off them.**

**"way to go back there dusty" Ralph laughed**

**"what did i do this time?" Dusty said annoyed. **

**"nothing. that was a compliment" Ralph said grinning and chuckling with Kirby**

**"fine. Whatever" Dusty said and started to walk away**

**Kodi watched her walk away. It was when Ralph and Kirby started to follow her that kodi finally spoke. "come on guys, leave her alone"**

**They had ignored him so he followed them and when he got the he saw them in front of dusty who was running full speed not looking where she was going. she had ran straight into them knocking them backwards and down the hill behind them. She gasped and stopped, watching the two roll and collide with logs, trees, and several large rocks. When the two had finally reached the bottom they were unconsious and had about four broken bones each.**

**Unfortunatly or fortunatly, depending on which way you looked at it, the musher had been walking down the street at the time and saw the whole thing. Dusty ran and collided with kodi. **

**"Kodi!" dusty exclaimed**

**"HAY" came the voice of the musher**

**Dusty untangled herself from kodi and ran. Kodi right behind her.**

**14**

**The Sun was going down now. **

**Wishing the day would last longer kodi and dusty left the boat and started for dusty's home.**

**"Im glad we got to spend so much time together today" Dusty said**

**"yea. I might be able to get up early enough to come see you off tomorrow" Kodi said hopefully**

**"i hope you can manage it" Dusty laughed then nuzzled kodi then dissappeared inside the house.**

**Smiling kodi headed for the boiler room to turn in for the night.**

**"Kodi?"**

**Kodi opened his eyes. **

**"Dusty?" Kodi said surpriesed and sitting up. "i thought you were leaving"**

**"i am but i wasn't sure if you were gunna wake up in time so i came to see you myself" Dusty said**

**"zero confidence" Kodi said after yawning.**

**"well i just wanted to see you before i left"**

**"how much longer before you leave?" Kodi asked standing up**

**"only a few minutes. Im more than pushing it when i came here" Dusty said**

**"Come on ill walk you back" Kodi said and started out.**

**Kodi shivered slightly once he stepped out of the warm room and headed in the direction of dusty's home with dusty at his side.**

**They walked close together the whole way. Not talking.**

**All too soon they arrived at dusty's. **

**"well i guess this is good bye" Dusty said sounding depressed**

**"you make it sound like we wont ever see each other again. It's only for what a week?" Kodi said **

**"i know" Dusty said**

**"Dusty. Come on girl. Time to go" came the sound of the girl that was dusty's owner.**

**"bye dusty" Kodi said and watched her walk off.**

**15**

**As kodi walked back to the boiler he saw Kriby watching them.**

**"Kirby" Kodi said and he speed up to catch up with kirby**

**"Kodi" Kirby turning around and walking away**

**"what are you up this early for? If it was to see dusty off im afraid your too late" Kodi said walking beside him**

**"I can see that kodi" Kirby said**

**"what's wrong? You get cranky in the morning too?" Kodi asked**

**"sometimes. Look im just gunna get some more sleep ok. I'll se you later" Kirby said and turned down the street that led to the boiler room.**

**Kodi who was wide awake now decided to go down to the beach and practice his running. Hopefully he could get to lead dog before sasha took swing dog position.**

**When kodi arrived at the beach he saw sasha doing excatly what he had been planning to do.**

**"Sasha" Kodi said walking down toward her.**

**"Oh, kodi. Hi. Your up early again" Sasha said slowing to a stop and turning in his direction**

**"yea. Anyway we still have a race to do" Kodi grinned.**

**"Ok kodi. But don't start crying when i beat you" Sasha chuckled.**

**Kodi and sasha decided to run from one end of the beach to the other.**

**Getting ready kodi said "ok on the count of three. 1. . . 2 . . . 3"**

**They both took off. Kodi in the lead. He kicked his legs as fast as they would take him. Sasha was falling behind though she still kept a detemined look on her face. **

**It was about halfway through the race that kodi's breathing started to pick up. Still going as fast as kodi could he tried to slow his breathing. **

**Nearly there. The end of the beach was so close. Kodi figured he had the race in the bag. He had won. But then a red and blue blur flew past kodi and then reached the end of the beach. kodi was so shocked he forgot to keep kicking his feet and he fell nose first into the sand.**

**Kodi stood back up and shook the sand from his face and spat out a mouth full of sand.**

**"i told you not to cry if i beat you" sasha said laughing.**

**"im not. Im shocked though. I didn't think it was possible to run that fast" Kodi said in a shocked voice**

**"well, now you know it is" Sasha chuckled.**

**As the sun moved it shined straight down on kodi and sasha.**

**"im gunna go get out of this sun. See ya kodi" Sasha said and ran off toward nome. Kodi walked slowly back toward nome. **

**Deep in thought kodi didn't even notice as he was back in nome. Only when he bumped into another dog did he snap out of it.**

**"Sorry" Kodi said looking to the dog he'd bumped in to. It was Asher.**

**"It's ok. Just pay more attention. Hay!" asher said recognizing kodi "It's kodi right?"**

**"glad you remember my name" Kodi said **

**"yea, how could i forget?" Asher replied**

**"So how you doing? Haven't gotten lost yet have you?" Kodi asked**

**"Acctually that's what i am right now. Lost" Asher chuckled**

**_"Even her laugh is perfect"_ Kodi thought. "well where you trying to get too?"**

**"Home. I was with a friend and i kinda got lost when she left" **

**"come on. Ill take you" Kodi said glad he could help her again.**

**As they walked kodi wondered if he should tell her about how she had been in his dreams several times before he'd even met her. **

_**"No, not right now at least. It might creep her out"**_

**16**

**It was now Friday. Dusty had left Sunday. **

**"Just two days left" Kodi said to himself**

**Over the last four days kodi had been spending alot of his time with Asher. It was still a mystery to him why she was in his dreams.**

**Kodi enjoyed being around her. She was fun to be around. **

**Kodi was now standing out infront of the boiler room. It was late and kodi suddenly found that Asher was right beside him. She was leaning against him. Kodi grinned.**

**Kodi leaned back against her as they sat there. Only a few minutes passed before the two walked into the boiler room.**

**Standing at the entrence to a back alley across the street from the boiler room was Kirby. **

**Kirby was surprised to see kodi with another dog. Kodi didn't seem the type who would do that. "No that must have been someone else" Kirby said shaking his head.**

**"it was just another dog that looked like Kodi" Kirby said turning around and walking away.**

**When kodi woke up the next morning he was in the familiar boiler room but one difference this morning. Beside him lay Asher.**

**Kodi wondered what she was doing there but then he remembered. Then Dusty came to his mind.**

**"what have i done?" Kodi said and stood up. He didn't feel comfortable being there with Asher anymore. Kodi ran from the room as soon as he got outside.**

**"ok, hopefully no one saw me last night so i can just pretend this never happened" Kodi said to himself. He was inside his dads boat. He'd found a hole on the bottom of the boat when he'd run out to the beach. Looking back at the boat he noticed a small hole in the bottom so he dug through the snow and found the hole was just big enough for him to climb into.**

**"Asher will be quiet about it im sure" Kodi said trying to convince himself that it was ok.**

**"Dusty comes back tomorrow. How could i have been so STUPID" **

**"Kodi?"**

**"oh no" kodi said recognizing the voice.**

**"Kodi is that you in there?" **

**It was Sasha**

**"Just leave me alone right now Sasha" Kodi said and moved further inside the boat.**

**"what's wrong?" Sasha's voice asked**

**Kodi looked back and saw sasha had climbed into the hole and was following him.**

**"I said just leave me alone" Kodi said. He didn't feel like talking to anyone about what he'd done.**

**"Kodi you can tell me anything. Now whats wrong?" Sasha said in a comforting voice**

**"Sasha if i told you what you'd hate me" Kodi said taking a step back from her.**

**"try me" Sasha said.**

**"Ok, but i warned you. Im mates with Dusty who's in teller right now but last nght I slept with another dog"**

**Sasha was quite for a minute then said "Kodi. . ."**

**"I told you you'd hate me if i told you" Kodi said looking away from her.**

**"who said i hate you? you just made a mistake. A BIG mistake but we all make mistakes" Sasha said**

**" I didn't mean to do it. It just sort of. . . Happened. Dusty comes back tomorrow and i don't know what to do" Kodi explained to Sasha**

**"I dont know either but i know one thing. Your not going to solve anything by hiding in this boat" Sasha pointed out**

**"I know. I just didn't know what else to do" Kodi sighed**

**"Well come on. Its too dark in here" Sasha said walking toward the hole.**

**Kodi stayed put for a minute then sighed and followed her.**

**17**

**It was Saturday night and all kodi had done was talk to asher about last night. The conversation hadn't resulted very well either.**

**"Asher, i need to talk to you" Kodi had said walking up to asher as she sat on her porch.**

**"Kodi, ive been looking for you. I had a great time last night by the way" Asher said flashing kodi that perfect smile of hers.**

**"asher that's what i wanted to talk to you about" Kodi said uncomfortably.**

**"oh, really?" Asher asked. The smile had disappeared**

**"see last night was. . . a mistake" Kodi explained. This was where the conversation started to go down the drain**

**"a mistake?" Asher asked. Her voice getting louder**

**Kodi had hoped this wouldn't happen. "Im mates with another dog. Last night should never have happened"**

**Asher swiped at kodi across the cheek which left three cuts. "If you were mates with another dog why didn't you tell me" **

**"cause it wasn't really any of your business" Kodi said keeping his voice even**

**Asher turned and walked into the house after kodi said this.**

**Kodi sighed. How much longer before Asher was gunna tell someone about what had happened? Had she already told someone?**

**Kodi didn't know what to do. Dusty was due to be back in less than ten hours.**

**"Kodi!" came a voice from behind him**

**It was Kirby.**

**"kirby, what" Kodi said turning around **

**"Kodi i don't want to believe this but last night i saw you, or someone who looked alot like you, walk into the boiler room with that new dog. And what happened to you?" Kirby asked noticing the dry blood on kodi's cheek**

**"Kirby, im sorry but that. . . was. . . me" Kodi said slowly.**

**"Kodi what were you thinking? Were you even thinking?" Kirby asked after a moment's silence.**

**"Kirby i don't know how that happened. It was a mistake. I-" Kodi said but kirby cut him off.**

**"Kodi this isn't something that just happens. You must have been thinking. You had to have know what you were doing" Kirby said. Even kirby was now sounding angry.**

**"I SAID IT WAS A MISTAKE" Kodi said raising his voice over kirby's. " i don't know what to do now. I can't tell dusty but she will be back here by tomorrow" **

**Kirby took a deep breath then said "this is a deep hole you've gotten yourself into" **

**18**

**Kodi walked slowly to dustys. She had to be back by now. **

**The hole way to dusty's he debated about telling dusty about what had happened. He decided that he wasn't going to tell her.**

**He could only hope that asher didn't tell anyone.**

**When kodi got to dusty he saw the last thing he wanted to see. **

**Dusty was talking with the stunning green and white malamut that was Asher.**

**"oh no" kodi whispered to himself.**

**Pretending like nothing was wrong kodi walked up to dusty and nuzzled her. "Hay dusty, did ya miss me?"**

**Dusty smiled and replied "you have to ask?"**

**After a minute dusty said "this is Asher. She's been telling me some very interesting things.**

**_"please no" _Kodi thought. "really? Like what?" Kodi asked keeping his face straight**

**"She said she used to live in anchorage. And that she just moved in. She was just asking me if id show her around the town but im a little busy. Would you mind showing her around?" **

**"sure. Why not" Kodi said and licked dusty on the nose then headed off with Asher.**

**"what are you doing?" Kodi asked Asher when he was sure dusty wouldn't be able to hear them.**

**"What do you think. Im just trying to make a few friends" Asher said not looking at kodi**

**"Asher you didn't tell her about. . ." Kodi started**

**"Not yet. But if you don't tell her within the next three days i will" Asher threatened**

**"Asher please. Can we just forget about this" Kodi asked**

**She didn't say anything else to kodi.**

**Kodi left her at her house then started back toward dusty's**

**Kodi layed down on the beach. Watching the waves and the water move up the sand then move back. It was only when the water went far enough that it soaked kodi did he get up. **

**Dusty laughed.**

**Shaking his fur dry kodi laughed with her.**

**"So kodi what really went on here while i was gone?" Dusty asked walking over to kodi.**

**"nothing. Really." Kodi said keeping his voice calm.**

**"that's not what i heard" Dusty said looking at kodi**

**Kodi gulped. **

**"I heard that you and your brother has stumbled onto something about that new friend of yours" Dusty said grinning. "looks like you might have another family member living in nome"**

**Relieved kodi said "yea" with a slight chuckle.**

**19**

**Two days had passed and kodi still hadn't told Dusty about the mistake.**

**Kodi wasn't sure if he was going to be able to keep it a secret from dusty much longer.**

**He walked around nome trying to think of the best way to break it to dusty. Every way kodi tried he resulted in hurting dusty.**

**But if kodi didn't tell her today then she was gunna find out from someone else and it would be twice as bad.**

**When kodi finally decided to go to dusty's and tell her about what really had happened, he had walked to dusty's then reluctantly barked. When dusty came to the door she didn't look to happy to see him.**

**"Dusty i need to tell you something" Kodi began slowly**

**"if it's you sleeping with another dog while i was gone then your too late. Ive already heard the news" Dusty said and a tearfull tone**

**Shocked kodi didn't know what to say to this. clearing his throat kodi started "Dusty i made a mistake. We all make them."**

**"and that makes it ok that you went behind my back and cheated on me" Dusty said turning around and glaring at kodi.**

**"No. Thats not what im saying. Look i don't know what got into me. It just sort of happened" Kodi tried to explain to dusty.**

**He was still shocked that she already knew. He still had one more day.**

**"Kodi i can't even bear to talk to you right now" Dusty said and started to walk away from kodi.**

**"Dusty wait" Kodi started but dusty broke into a run.**

**Kodi took a deep breath and felt a shudder rush through his body.**

**Walking away kodi noticed a brown dog walking away. Kodi recognized the dog.**

**"Kirby! wait up" Kodi shouted running to catch up with kirby.**

**But as soon as kirby heard his voice he broke into a run as well. Now kodi saw why kirby had been put in lead dog position.**

**Kodi skidded to a halt in the snow and watched one of his best friends run away from him.**

**20**

**Once again kodi was on the beach.**

**Everything was falling apart. It seemed that once dusty found out everyone found out. **

**The only people who were still with kodi were Sasha and Kalgorn. **

**Though kodi wasn't sure if Kalgorn even knew.**

**There were only two others he knew of that didn't know what he had done. His parents.**

**Eventually they would find out so kodi figured it would be better if they found out from him than from someone else.**

**Walking slowly towards his mom's place kodi dreaded telling them. Kodi didn't turn into the town.**

**Instead he walked around. He didn't feel like talking to anyone.**

**Once kodi reached his destination kodi sat down and gathered his thoughts about Just how he was going to tell them.**

**Then kodi walked into the house. His mom wasn't asleep on the couch anymore. Kodi couldn't find them anywhere in the house so he walked outside and looked around.**

**"why is it so hard to find dad when you need him?" Kodi said to himself**

**"Just bad timing son" came the voice of Balto from behind kodi**

**Kodi jumped. "Dad, ive been looking for you. Where's mom?"**

**"well if your looking for you mother why were you looking for me?" Balto said grinning.**

**"Dad" Kodi started**

**"Its ok i know what you meant. I thought jenna was at her place but i can see you've saved me the search" Balto replied**

**Kodi nodded his head and looked around. Hoping to see his mom.**

**"Anyway what do you want?" Balto asked hoping down from the porch.**

**"I need to tell you something" Kodi started**

**"Im listening" Balto said sitting down infront of kodi.**

**"I was hoping to tell it to both of you so i would have to say it only once" Kodi went on**

**"well ill save you the trouble of telling your mother. Now what is it" Balto replied**

**"Ok, well see theres this new dog in town and ive been spending alot of time with her but a few days ago i made a mistake" Kodi started**

**Balto nodded. "is this a small mistake or a big mistake?" **

**"big. I don't know what to do about it. I. . . Dad i slept with her" Kodi finally said**

**"Well this could be worse. I mean at least you weren't cheating on someone or something like that" Balto said smiling slightly.**

**Kodi didn't say anything.**

**"Oh" Balto said recognzing the look on kodi's face. "Who are you with?" **

**"Well im more than likely to not be with her anymore but, Dusty" Kodi said looking down at the ground**

**"Ok, Kodi ill tell your mother when i see her. The only thing there is for you to do is to appoligize but you should give her some time first" Balto said comfortingly.**

**"So you don't hate me for it?" Kodi asked looking up at balto**

**"Well im dissapointed that you did something like this but no. Your my son" Balto replied then went to go find jenna.**

**Kodi let out a sigh of relief. That made 3 people still with him. Hopefully his mom would see it the same way.**

**He turned around and started to walk away. Maybe he'd go to his dad's boat for awhile. Figure out what he had to do next but when he turned around he saw His mom. **

**"Hay kodi. looking for you dad?"**

**21**

**"KODI!"**

**"mom, it didn't mean for it to happen"**

**Kodi had just told his mom about what he'd done and now seeing her reaction he wished he could have just let dad tell her.**

**"Kodi I thought we'd taught you better"**

**Kodi couldn't think of anything to say to this so he just looked down at the ground and listened to his mom.**

**Finally jenna seemed to have run out of things to say.**

**"Jenna whats with all the shouting?" **

**It was Balto.**

**"Balto do you know what kodi has done?" Jenna asked angrily.**

**"I told you to let me tell her kodi." Balto said looking at kodi.**

**"you know? and your ok with this?" Jenna asked with a mixture of anger and shock.**

**"He told me earlier" Balto replied to jenna. "Just calm down jenna. We all make mistakes"**

**Jenna didn't say another word. She simply just walked out of the room**

**"Well im not gunna be getting any sleep here tonight" Balto said looking at the roof. As if he could see jenna up there. **

**"im sorry dad" Kodi said**

**"Its ok. Ive still have the boat" Balto replied to kodi.**

**"ive got to go dad" Kodi said after a moments silence then turned toward the door.**

**"Kodi" Balto said suddenly**

**Kodi stopped and looked back**

**"don't worry. Things will work out" **

**Kodi smiled. "thanks" Then left.**

**22**

**It had been a week since kodi had told dusty. He hadn't seen her since. Kodi now lay on his dads boat. **

**Thinking about everything that had happened and trying to think of a way to make it up to her.**

**The Sun had set and the moon was already bright in the sky.**

**Kodi's eyelids were beginning to droop. **

**After several more minutes kodi decided to start back to get some sleep. But when he turned around he saw Dusty.**

**"Dusty what are you-" Kodi started surprised**

**"i just had a feeling you'd be here" Dusty said answering kodi's question.**

**"Dusty, im sorry about what i did" Kodi said after a long silence.**

**"After what you did kodi it's no easy to forgive you" Dusty said slowly**

**"I know dusty but i can only say sorry so many times. What do i have to do to make it up to you?" Kod said walking towards dusty.**

**"Kodi it's not that simple. You can't just say sorry for something like this and expect me to forgive you.**

**"What, Then?" Kodi asked taking another step towards dusty**

**"Kodi there's a reason i came to see you and thats to tell you that my dad found out and is looking for you" Dusty said doing something she hadn't done in a week, and looked him in the eyes "I came here to tell you to be careful"**

**This surprised kodi. He wasant scared, he could take care of himself, but the fact that dusty had come here to warn him.**

**That must mean she still had feeling for him.**

**"Thanks but i don't worry about me"**

**For a minute the two just looked at each other. Neither one spoke.**

**Then finally dusty spoke. "Well its late, I need to get back home"**

**"Wait, let me walk you home" Kodi said running over to dusty.**

**"Fine" Dusty replied and turned and headed back towards the town.**

**As they entered the town kodi finally decided to say something.**

**"Dusty is there anything i can say or do to make this better?" **

**It took dusty i minute to answer.**

**"No kodi. There isn't" **

**23**

**"Kodi, ive been looking all over for you. There's this really mean looking dog asking around for you"**

**Sasha had just appeared beside kodi.**

**"he would happen to be about twice as big as me, with orange and white fur would he?" Kodi asked looking not at sasha but straight ahead of him.**

**"Yea. Why have you seen him?" Sasha asked surprised**

**"No. But hes right in front of me" Kodi said his eyes fixed on the massive dog down the street**

**Sasha noticing him said "kodi this wouldn't happen to have anything to deal with your little incident with Asher would it?" Sasha asked standing in front of kodi.**

**"Sasha, last night dusty told me that her dad found out and is looking for me. I think he might have hired someone to come fetch me" Kodi explained to dusty.**

**Kodi who was still staring at the dog suddenly pushed sasha out of the way and the dog collided with kodi. Knocking kodi off his feet and landing on his back several feet from his original place.**

**Kodi got back up and looked at the dog. Kodi could see three of him.**

**Not sure which one to go for kodi went for the one on the left. As kodi lunged for the dog the two other dogs dissapeared leaving just the one left. The dog kicked him in the side and kodi landed in the snow again. This time kodi didn't get back up. . .**

**24**

**Four other dogs sat at the top of the mountain. They all seemed to be waiting for something.**

**One of the dogs sitting on the mountain was Dusty.**

**Of the other three one looked like Dusty's father, Rusk. When dusty asked who the other two dogs were he simply said "there here for a favor for me" **

**He wouldn't say anything else on the subject.**

**They were at the top of the mountain near nome. Just on the other side of the mountain was a deep cavern.Dusty had already been on this mountain before. Once with kodi before he had slept with that other dog.**

**Wishing she could rewind time dusty heard the sound of another coming up the mountain.  
Within a few seconds a large orange and white dog came into view. On his back was the unconsious figure of Kodi.**

**"Kodi!" Dusty said shocked. Her dad hadn't told her why she had to be here. **

**"thank you Charles. You can set him down here" **

**"Dad, whats going on here?" Dusty asked unable to take her eyes of kodi. Seeing kodi this way made dusty wish she had never gotten angry with him.**

**"Punishment sweety. It has come to my attention that this dog has been cheating on you."Rusk said.**

**"Dad, my personal life is none of your business" Dusty replied as her father walked over to kodi and nudged him with his paw.**

**"He'll only be out another hour or two. Before we do it i want him to be awake. I want him to see it" Rusk said grinning at the thought of it.**

**"dad! tell me what your going to do to kodi" Dusty said standing over kodi.**

**"Dusty, sweety, im going to kill him. . ."**

**25**

**Sasha watched horrified as the dog at least three times as big as her run into kodi sending him flying. It seemed to take kodi forever to hit the ground again. That had to be at least 15 feet!**

**When kodi finally landed sasha could almost feel the impact of the fall. When kodi managed to get back up sasha wanted to jump in and help but her legs seemed to be frozen to the ground. **

**She could tell kodi was having trouble keeping things in focus. She saw kodi lunge at the dog but went to the complete left side of him. She knew what was going to happen next. When the leg kicked kodi in the side she knew kodi wasnt gunna get up after that one. **

**Finally she managed to get her vocal cords to work.**

**"Hay! leave him alone" **

**The dog payed no attention to her.**

**Sasha terrified managed to run at the dog and jump on his back. She was swung off instently and hit the ground. The dog put a paw the size of her chest on top of her and pushed deeper into the snow. **

**Sasha couldn't breath. She clawed at the paw desperate to get air. **

**The dog growled then lifted his paw up and, taking the uncosious kodi with him, walked away. Leaving sasha on the ground gasping for air.**

**"Kodi . . ." Was all sasha managed to say.**

**26**

**"Dad, please. You don't have to kill kodi. We're working things out." Dusty pleaded with her dad.**

**"Im sorry dusty but things are better this way. You'll see" Rusk said looking down the mountain and into the cavern.**

**"How deep do you think this is?" Rusk asked one of the dogs that had come with him.**

**"Id say at lease 500 feet. Maybe more" The dog said.**

**"that's deep enough. If he's still alive after we're through with him then we'll throw him over" Rusk explained to the other three. The orange and white dog, charles, had decided to stick around.**

**Dusty was in tears now. As she stood over kodi her tears fell from her cheeks onto kodi's fur.**

**"Kodi im so sorry for being mad at you. I shouldn't had acted the way i did. If i knew my father would take things this far id of. . ." Dusty said spilling her heart out to kodi. She didn't know if she could hear him or not but this was the last chance she'd get to speak to kodi.**

**Kodi's tailed moved.**

**"alright dusty, step away from him. He's coming to now" Rusk said after seeing the tail move.**

**Charles ended up having to pull dusty away from kodi.**

**Within the minute kodi was opening his eyes. he was still having trouble keeping things in focus.**

**"where am i?" Kodi said to himself**

**"at the top of a mountain you'll find quite familiar" Rusk said standing up.**

**Kodi rolled over onto his stomach and stood up.**

**"Who are you?" Kodi asked spotting charles at once.**

**"Kodi im dusty's father and these are just a few friends" Rusk said nodding his head at the three other dogs surrounding kodi.**

**"Where's Dusty? What do you want with me?" Kodi asked feeling increasingly uncomfortable.**

**"She's right here but im afraid you wont be seeing her anymore. You see ive recently found out about your affair with my daughter and a certain new dog in this town" Rusk explained **

**"What's it to you. It's none of your business" Kodi said taking a step back.**

**"im here to punish you for what you've done to my daughter" Rusk said. "Im afraid you've seen the last day you'll ever see" **

**Then Rusk growled and pounced on kodi.**

**It was just Rusk and Kodi at first. The other three formed a barrior around the two so that kodi couldn't run. But once they saw kodi was putting up a fight with Rusk the other three joined in.**

**Kodi felt four pairs of teeth biting at him from all directions. Claws cutting at his back. His stomach, His neck, ect. . .**

**Finally kodi found the leg of one of his attackers and bit down on it as hard as he could.**

**There was whining and a pair of teeth bit down on kodi's neck and pulled him away from the leg.**

**Kodi's foot found the face of another dog and one kick made him retreat briefly. **

**This was kodi's only chance. He jumped at the gap betwen the dogs and landed on the ground. **

**"KODI RUN!" came dusty's voice. **

**Kodi glanced at dusty and saw her get kicked and she fell over.**

**"Dusty!" Kodi shouted.**

**27**

**Kodi felt the impact against his side as one of the dogs tackled him. Kodi knew the dog was going to go for his neck. When the two stopped rolling kodi came out on the bottom.**

**The dog snarling on top of him went for his neck but kodi, using his hind legs, kicked the dog off him and over the edge of the mountain.**

**"two" Kodi said seeing the dog he'd kicked in the face run off towards the town. Kodi's attention was then directed at the two left.**

**They were closeing in on him again. Kodi knew if they did a double team on him he was more than dead.**

**Kodi ran at them.**

**Charles was obviously muscles over brains.**

**Kodi crawled underneath him then bit down on charles massive leg.**

**Charles growling kicked his leg but kodi held on. Then charles did what kodi had hoped he would do. Charles ended up slamming kodi's body into Rusks. Knocking the wind out of kodi and knocking Rusk unconsious.**

**Unable to hold on any longer kodi flew off charles leg and landed ontop of Rusk.**

**Breathing hard kodi backed away from charles. "Now what?" Kodi asked looking around for anything that could help him. He knew he didn't stand a chance in fighting charles head on. Last time he'd done that hed ended up unconsious in less than ten seconds.**

**Sasha was still in the same position as when the giant dog had almost crushed her. She could breath now but everytime she moved she could feel an intense pain in her chest.**

**Struggling sasha managed to get on her paws but the pain in her chest caused her to fall back down.**

**She knew where the dog had taken kodi. Her issue now was to get there.**

**Sasha hadn't felt this much pain since her last accident. When she had been running and she had tripped and rolled down pratically a mountain side. All but one of her ribs had been broken and her left hind leg had been broken in three different places.**

**Struggling to remain on he paws sasha thought back to what had encouraged sasha to push threw the pain and get back up on her feet.**

**Kodi saw it. The green and white blur of Sasha. She was running full speed and jumped at the dog. The force of the impact caused the dog to be knocked over. He started to slide down the side mountain and clawed at the ground to pull himself back up. Sasha was doing the same but she looked like she was already lifting her hind legs over the edge and back onto solid ground.**

**Sasha breathing hard started toward kodi with a smile on her face. She opened her mouth to say something then charles grabbed her leg as he finally lost his grip on the ground. Pulling sasha over with him.**

**Kodi ran to the edge and saw sasha falling.**

**"SASHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Kodi screamed**

**28**

**When dusty opened her eyes she felt a slight pain in her jaw but then she jumped up.**

**"Kodi!" Dusty exclaimed and to her relief saw kodi sitting at the edge of the cliff. **

**Kodi wasn't moving.**

**"Kodi are you alright? How did you-" Dusty started as she ran over to kodi but she then saw tears running down kodi's cheeks.**

**"Kodi what wrong?" She asked **

**Kodi took a deep breath then said in a shaky voice "It's sasha. Shes dead"**

**Dusty knew kodi had gotten real close with the dog named sasha. She'd seen them racing all over the place and it had even been possible that Kodi and Sasha had been related.**

**"Kodi. . . Im so sorry, how did this happen?" Dusty said slowly**

**"She saved me Dusty. If she hadn't come id be dead" Kodi said looking dusty in the eyes.**

**Dusty swallowed then said "you wanna tell me how you survived four dogs at once?"**

**"Dusty, after all this, i never wanna hide anything from you again" Kodi said taking another deep breath**

****

29  
Over 10,000 miles away, a glowing white diamond in the shape of a large Z flashed. Lighting the entire cavern it lay in. The usually dark cavern, now lit from the center, which the Z diamond stone rested at, to the darkest corners. The diamond rested on a perch.

The perch was decorated with drawings of 15 dogs. All bore the same mark. A Z stood out on various parts of their bodies. Back, neck, leg, side ect. The perch was just a few feet high. To a human, it'd be only up to his knees. To a dog, it'd line up with his head. Two wolves looked out of their home. A cave in the far corner. A blood red male and a navy blue Female. Mates.

"Oh, no. Let this be a dream!" The female exclaimed. Panicking.

"This is happening Niss. I knew it would soon" the male replied, squinting against the light. Whenever the Stone lit it ment one of the few, destined to fulfill a purpose, had died or was born. No one knew exactly what this purpose was, but it is said that there would be 15. One would die. leaving 14. 7 would become those who wanted to conquer. 7 would be those who would save them. When the Stone lit white, i ment one was born. When it turned green, it ment the one who would die, Sasha, had died. In three years time, this would come to pass.

"please not green" Niss pleaded. But, the light turned stunning green.

"Sasha. . ." The two uttered breathless Looking at each other, the male, known as Vermelho sighed.

"14 left" On the stone perch, one of the drawings of dogs glowed and melted away. The light dimmed and the Z diamond returned to normal.

**30**

**Kodi and Dusty were laying beside each other in dusty's home. **

**It was three days after the mountain incident and kodi who was still slightly depressed about sasha was recovering from multiple cuts and gashes.**

**"I think its a miracle that you only got deep cuts and no long term injuries" Dusty said in an effort to cheer kodi up.**

**Kodi smiled.**

**"Kodi just promise me one thing" Dusty started**

**"anything"**

**"i want you to promise me that Asher is out of your life completely and that you'll never have anything to deal with her again" Dusty finished **

**"Thats a promise i can keep" Kodi said smiling and nuzled dusty.**

**But no sooner had kodi said this then he heard the sound of barks.**

**Kodi got up and walked outside.**

**It was Asher**

**"Kodi i have to tell you something" Asher started**

**"Asher whatever it is i don't care" Kodi said cutting her off**

**"Kodi! Im pregnant. And the pups are yours"**

**FIN**

_I hope you enjoyed this fan fiction from Balto678_

_Keep an eye out for my next Fiction!_


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